Slovakia Series 5 - Don't Sit Under That Apple Tree
by slovakia-chan
Summary: Canada x fem Slovakia x Lithuania. A lots of things can change in a year of separation. And some things never change. A story with an air of melancholy, confusion and acceptance.
1. Chapter 1

_Previously: Long time ago, Slovakia (Eva) used to have a big crush on Lithuania. Convinced Liet doesn't feel the same way, she left Russia's house to live with Czechia (Hynek). It doesn't take much for her to realize they are unable to coexist and she puts an end to their convenience marriage._

 _Years later, she meets equally shy Canada. Wanting to see Eva happy, Lithuania helps them find their way to each other's heart and, well, hook up :)_

 _After two years, Matthew sets up a perfect date to ask her something, but they are both summoned to an emergency meeting following the world economy crisis. An undesired break in their relationship follows. Some ghosts from the past emerge back to the surface. And things get a bit... complicated._

 _Warning: Canada goes pretty OOC in this one. I'm currently working on another fanfic to explain what he has been going through._

* * *

 **Bratislava, 2009**

 _No new events,_ said Eva's phone as she checked it for the fifteenth time that evening. _Speak for yourself. My life is overflowing with events right now. Not pleasant ones, though._

For the last year and a half, her routine consisted of working seven days a week, often until small hours, every day a blurred mess of data, places and faces. Except for the one she actually wanted to see.

They hadn't been able to meet up ever since that evening in London. She was far too busy preventing her fragile economy from collapsing. His situation was more stable, but still, the blow was felt and he would work hard to cushion it as much as possible.

At first, they would call each other every day. Then, they exchanged texts with their latest news and how much they missed each other. Those messages grew still shorter, eventually reduced to a simple 'I love you'. Little by little, those words lost their meaning. Writing them had become nothing more than a mere authomatism to her. Nevertheless, it was all they had and Eva clung to it like she would die without.

That evening, the young Slovak felt particularly lonely. She had sent several texts to Canada and even tried to call, but he wasn't reachable. _Well, it's still afternoon at his place. He must be busy at work._

As if in answer to her prayers, the phone suddenly started to ring. She almost jumped in thrill. _Finally!_

Her heart instantly sank again as she noticed her brother's name flashing from the screen.

"Oh, hi. How are you?" She tried her best not to sound too disappointed.

"My little Eva!" Czechia's voice thundered from the other side. The brunette moved her ear away.

"Yes?" she asked.

"My little Eva!" he went on. "Eva! I love you _SO_ much," he slurred in his thick voice.

"Well, I love you, too," she replied without thinking and sighed, wishing she was having that conversation with Matthew. "Anyway, what's happening? Where are you?"

"If you love me, then why did you leave me? Let's move in together again, let's be Czechoslovakia again! Eva! Let's start over!"

While she wondered what to reply, she suddenly heard him fight over his phone with someone. A minute later, another familiar voice took his place.

"Good evening, Eva, it's Toris."

"Hello. What's up?"

"We went out for a drink with some guys from EU and your brother got totally wasted. Now he refuses to leave. Any suggestions?"

She thought for a while.

"Can you tell him that there's beer in the fridge and that I just made some _knedlo-vepřo-zelo_?"

"Umm… what's that?" he inquired, confused.

"His favorite meal. He's just like me. Always gets hungry when drunk."

Half an hour later, the two of them were knocking on her door, the Lithuanian supporting the Czech.

"Eva!" Hynek yelled as he saw her. "Why won't you become one with me?" he spat out accusingly, a broken look on his face.

"Because we're siblings and that would be gross," she retorted as both men made their way into her house.

Liet snorted.

"I think he's talking about cancelling your borders," he whispered.

"I know." She smirked, "But he's just too much fun to tease when he's so drunk. Anyway, thank you for bringing him here. Wasn't he too heavy?"

"To be honest, when I mentioned the food, it was him who dragged me here," Toris admitted.

"Food! Where's the food?!" her brother demanded expectantly.

"How about you set down in the guest room while I heat it up for you?" the brunette suggested while wrapping his free shoulder around her frame. Together they guided him to a vacant room where the handsome fellow collapsed on the bed, falling asleep straight away. They both breathed out in relief.

"Can I get you something?" Slovakia asked Lithuania once the Czech was taken care of. "A cup of tea? Coffee? I think I even have a bottle of mead somewhere. We can have a drink, if you want."

"That would be nice." Toris smiled, blushing slightly. _The two things I love the most,_ he thought _. Tonight can't get much better._

* * *

"So, how have you been?" Eva asked as she put some music on and filled their cups.

"Well, we're all doing what we can, aren't we?" He shrugged.

"I guess…"

At first they felt uneasy and a bit stressed out, but as the bottle emptied, they started to chat more openly, remembering the time when they used to be close.

 _It's been quite a while since we got together like this,_ she realized, contemplating his face while he talked. _Either my brain is being affected by alcohol or he's got even more handsome since. Maybe both._

She gave the Baltic a warm smile and the young man smiled back. He was growing euphoric and confident, too.

There was a voice, calling out from somewhere deep inside her, implying that she probably shouldn't be there, flirting with another man. Eva realized that the voice was slowly drowning in the mead and decided to have another cup.

As they emptied the bottle, Slo leaned on her friend. For a moment he looked at her, grinning, then put his arm around her back. She snuggled under his chin. _The arms that used to hold me._

He went on talking and she concentrated on his voice until the world around them disappeared. _The timbre that used to comfort me._

She took a deep breath. The familiar fragrance of sea, grass and honey filled her nostrils. _The smell that made me desire him. Mmmm._

"Eva!" They both jumped at the noise coming from the room where Czechia was sleeping. Seconds later, he resumed his snoring. He must have had a bad dream.

"Say, will he be alright? He's not the kind of person you expect to see this heartbroken," he spoke, his face portraying a genuine concern.

"Of course he will!" she laughed, carefree. "While we lived together, we could never agree on anything. Moreover, Hynek would never admit it, but I've always been a bit of a weight to him. He's much better off since we separated and he knows it."

"You mean it's just the alcohol clouding his common sense, making him say what he truly wants?" suggested the Lithuanian.

"No, not really." Eva shook her head. "I mean, if I were _that_ drunk, I'm sure I would make some bad choices with troublesome consequences. Sometimes, less is more. A cup or two and your mind and heart are relaxed enough to talk freely and reveal your true desires," she explained her theory.

Toris gave it a thought.

"Now that you said that, it does sound about right." His features relaxed into a smile again. "I sure feel relieved."

 _He's so cute,_ the Slav thought. _Even when he's tipsy, he worries about others._

"How about you?" he asked cautiously as she moved still closer. "How drunk are you?"

"Just the right amount," she purred seductively. Their eyes locked and she cupped his face, the small thumbs stroking his clean-shaven cheeks. Liet's breath got stuck at how close they were. Not sure by what miracle, he managed to gather his spirits again. _Now or never._

"Then what do you really want, Eva Kučerová?" he inquired.

Her finger ran down his neck, then her palms pushed him down on the couch. The young man's mouth went dry and his heart started to race with an unknown fierceness. He closed his eyes, slightly trembling with excitement as he felt her delicate body cover his, their mouths almost touching.

"I'm not telling." She suddenly chuckled, moving away. It was her turn to be taken aback when, in one quick movement, she found herself lying under him. Their eyes met, caressing each other. For a moment, nothing else mattered.

"What do _you_ really want, Toris Laurinaitis?" Eva breathed expectantly.

 _So many things,_ the man closed his eyes, trying to figure out where to start _. I want to be yours. I want us to live under the same roof. Give you everything I have. See your lovely face every day. Vow flowers into your hair. Slide a ring on your finger. I want to find your scars and kiss them every day. Make sure you never miss anything again. To love you in a way only you deserve. And much, much more._

Eva watched his face, trying her best to read it. Then, it hit her right between the eyes.

 _Of course, Belarus. He wants Belarus. Like he always has._

Then why all that flirting?!

She desperately wanted shake him off, yell at him, throw him out the door and never see his face again. But it was at that very moment that the lack of sleep and alcohol took their toll. She shed a helpless tear before her eyelids shut against her will.

Liet took a deep breath, ready to confess. His eyes opened just to notice that hers were closed, her breathing regular, a tiny pearl shining on her cheek. He kissed it away.

He had waited until then. He could wait until the morning.

 _Tonight got even better after all_ , he thought as he wrapped his arms around her, dozing off as well.

* * *

 _-END OF CHAPTER 1-_

* * *

 _knedlo-vepřo-zelo_ = this is a typical Czech meal, basically roasted pork with dumpling and sauerkraut. It's really good, except when you're on a diet :D


	2. Chapter 2

Eva woke up, rubbing the back of her head, slowly remembering what happened. She turned to see the Lithuanian sleeping by her side. _Oh yes,_ an earnest smile lit up her face. They did spend a lovely evening together. They even cuddled, he was so close… It felt good, so good, until… Until…

 _Belarus. That bitch Belarus again._

Slovakia believed that every being deserved to be respected, but when it came to Russia's little sister, all she could feel was pure, unbridled rage. All the humiliation and torture she had to endure as Natalia's maid flooded her mind, making her go so angry she remained lost for breath. And that fool loved her.

 _This is so wrong,_ she thought, trying to break free from his arms.

 _So why does it seem like the most genuine happiness I've felt in years?_

Despite everything, Eva had to fight the urge to hug him closer, so close her worries would dissolve in the embrace. She would fall asleep again to wake up next to him in the morning and all the mornings to come.

 _Shitshitshitshit. This can't be._

She took a deep breath, then exhaled as unhurriedly as she could.

 _This can't be happening. I won't fall for him twice. This would be 1989 all over again._

Slovakia bit her lip, only relaxing her jaw when she realized she was bleeding.

 _My life is different now. I won't let that happen again._

She quickly got ready and left for the best direction she could think of.

* * *

"Eva," Toris muttered. Even though his head throbbed, his body was glowing. The memory of last night kept him warm.

He reached out for the said woman. She wasn't there.

 _Was it just a dream?_

He opened his eyes. It was her house indeed, but the country was nowhere to be seen.

"Eva?" he ventured.

Nothing.

He looked at his watch. _It's seven already, she must have left for work. Never mind, I'll catch up with her later._

He remembered the song that played as she slept in his arms and started to sing to himself, his heart overflowing with happiness.

 _Some words might bruise_

 _Some people turn cold_

 _And the river you cruise_

 _S'not be the best way to go_

 _Not the best way to go anymore_

 _And what do you do?_

 _What do you do?_

 _In the middle of nothing, so scared and alone?_

 _Turn around and swim, my darling_

 _Let my love guide you back to shore_

 _I'll be there standing, smiling, waiting_

 _Arms open wide, forever yours._

He had always been waiting on that shore for her. For such a long time. And now, at last, there was hope she'd be joining him.

"Eva, turn that gay music down, I've got a splitting headache!" a voice yelled from one of the rooms in the back.

 _Of course, I forgot about that. I should probably leave before he wakes up and jumps to conclusions,_ decided Toris, taking his coat.

* * *

 _'Welcome to Ottawa International Airport',_ Slovakia read, her vision blurred by an almost sleepless night. _It's been a while._

She took a look around, trying to find out the local time. A few minutes after seven. _I might catch him on his way to work if I'm quick enough,_ she thought, aiming for the taxi stop.

As they pulled in at the business area of the city, Eva handed the driver a bill and scanned the neighbourhood for the closest coffee shop.

And there he was.

The tall blonde in a suit, wearing the necktie she helped him pick years ago. One hand swinging his briefcase, the other holding a cup of coffee, probably with a drop of maple syrup in it.

"Matthew!" she called.

The young man stopped abruptly, then looked in her direction, shock written all over his face.

"E-Eva?"

Slo ran to him.

"Wha-What are you doing here?!" he stuttered.

"You know." She looked down, then up again. "I missed you. I wanted to surprise you," she beamed.

"Well… It's a surprise indeed," he managed.

For a moment, they said nothing.

 _He doesn't look as pleased as I expected. He doesn't seem pleased at all,_ the brunette observed.

"So… Want to have a breakfast?" she suggested.

"I'm sorry, I can't," he said, looking uneasy. "I've got plenty of important meetings today."

"Oh, I see," the girl mumbled, looking away, trying not to lose her heart.

He reached into his pocket and handed her a key.

"How about you go to my house, have a nap and then go shopping? Wait, I'll give you my credit card." He started to search for his wallet.

"I'm good, I've got my own money."

"Alright then, I'll see you tonight." He gave her a stiff smile and walked away.

 _I've just crossed an ocean and you didn't even kiss me,_ she thought to herself.

* * *

He got back that evening as soon as possible, just like he promised. They talked, ate a take-out, made love. It hurt Eva a bit, still, the pain was better than nothing. _It's just weird because we haven't done it in such a long time. It'll be better tomorrow._

They agreed she would meet him after his hockey training the next day. She would always enjoy her attending. Matthew was more than a decent player and he looked amazing in the red and white outfit. That much hadn't changed.

As they finished, he gestured at her to meet him on his way to the changing room.

He stood there, helmet under his arm, his hair mussed and sweaty. They kissed.

"Come with me." She dragged him to an empty office. As she locked the door, she threw herself into his arms, kissing him hungrily, experienced fingers undoing the padding.

Her lover broke the kiss.

"Err… Eva… What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? You know I lose all my self-control when I see you in that attire." She smirked, attacking his neck, looking for the sweet spot.

He took hold of her arms, gently forcing her away.

"We can't do that here,"

"Well, we've done this before," she said matter-of-factly.

"I've never wanted to," he spat. His friend's lips parted in astonishment.

"Wait." She shook her head. "What do you mean?!"

"I'm okay if it's once or twice a week. But you've always been pushing me too hard. There's more to life than that, eh."

They fell silent.

"Why didn't you say so?" she finally managed.

"I didn't want to make you unhappy," the blond explained, shrugging.

 _What kind of messed-up logic is that?_ Eva wondered. "Let's meet at the parking lot," she muttered minutes later, leaning her forehead against the cold wall.

* * *

"So, is there anything else I should know except that you used to force yourself to sleep with me?" she started on their way home, sulking.

"I think you drink too much," the blond said casually.

Slovakia took a deep breath.

"If you're in mood for honesty today, I don't like poutine," she retorted.

That surprised Matthew at the point of almost causing an accident. He pulled in to the nearest pavement and stopped for a while.

"But we're always eating that here." He looked at her, incredulous.

"I mean, I love potatoes," Eva continued, "But not the BBQ sauce. And cheese? On fries? You can literally hear your veins clogging with fat."

"That's a bold statement from someone whose favourite meal is egg-based pasta with liquid cheese and bacon."

He took his phone, checking something. The Slovak couldn't help peeking. _What is so important that it can't wait until we have finished talking? Oh, that website again._

"Don't get me wrong, I like hockey, too. But aren't you taking it a bit too seriously?" She asked and he slowly turned to look at her. Immediately she realized she'd crossed the line. She opened her mouth to take it back, but he was quicker.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt you to do a bit more sport, too," he observed, glancing at her belly.

The Slav felt dumbfounded. As for most of the women, that was a really sensitive subject.

"Anything else?" she asked coolly, hoping for a negative answer, preferably an apology, too.

"Your perfume. You should try something else. It's a bit too much."

"I make it myself from the flowers I pick at my place. It's a part of my identity," Eva objected. Her friend shrugged.

They sat there in silence for a while, digesting the blows, their pride hurt.

"Just… Who are you?" she whispered, disbelieving.

"I'm Canada. Your boyfriend. Remember?" He turned to look at her.

Eva averted her eyes. _That just... didn't sound right._

She cried herself to sleep that night.

* * *

Toris smelled the shirt he had worn the other day, a dreamy look all over his face. Eva's perfume still lingered on it.

 _I'm not washing this for a while,_ he decided.

* * *

 _-END OF CHAPTER 2-_


	3. Chapter 3

That night, she took a flight back to Europe and went on as best as she could, pretending her world wasn't tumbling down.

A few days later, she received a call from Matthew. She hesitantly hit the 'Reply' button.

"Eva?"

"Yes?" she whispered.

"How are you?"

"I'm good," she lied. "And you?"

He sighed.

"Eva… I'm so sorry for the other day. I was such an idiot. It's just that… I was so busy and tensed up, all this, it's so stressful…"

"I know," she admitted. "I understand. I'm having a hard time coping, too."

A few seconds of silence followed.

"I said some mean things."

"It's alright," she lied one more time. "These are difficult times. They make us grow impatient."

"Too impatient for our own good," he added.

They remained quiet again.

"I miss you so much, Matthew," she breathed. _The_ you _I used to date._

"Me too, darling," the Canadian cood. "Will you be able to meet up soon?"

"I don't know." Her voice was full of hesitation, almost to the point of sounding broken. "I've already had two days off. It might be difficult."

"We'll figure something out. I need to go now."

"Alright. Bye then."

 _I admitted hurting her, yet I never apologized,_ Matthew realized as he hung up. _Me, Canada, who apologize to those who run into_ me _._

 _Just how much of what I've said was actually true?_ Eva wondered, putting her phone away.

That night, she lost her sleep for good.

* * *

Two days later, he turned up at her door, a bouquet of roses in his arms.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

They hugged.

 _Am I really?_ she wondered. _Are you really?_ _We both know we meant what we said that day._

The Slav took her afternoon off and they went hiking. The wilderness along with the crisp air helped her empty her mind.

Once they reached the top of the hill, they sat on the sun-lit slope without uttering a word. Trouble thoughts came back again.

She didn't know how to act around him anymore. She stopped enjoying her drinks, changed the perfume and wore clothes that hid her belly.

 _Who are you? Who am I? Will I ever be the way you want me to be?_

"I want to make you happy, let's do what you like the most," he whispered, kissing her ear, pressing her gingerly against a tree.

"Almost there," he gasped a while later, biting into her neck in pure bliss.

 _Not me_ , Eva felt like saying, but chose to fake a loud moan instead.

* * *

"You are expected to work in pairs. So everybody picks a topic and then you find your partners in the office provided for the purpose and marked with the corresponding number."

Eva observed Toris's face as he opened his file. He mouthed something, instantly growing pale.

 _He must have got number 5,_ _Russia's impact_ , she realized. _The same as mine._

She turned to Belgium sitting next to her.

"Mind if I ask you a favor?" she ventured.

"Sure." The other country smiled sweetly.

"Can we please switch the topics?"

"Well, I mean, why not." She shrugged, "Unfortunately, I picked number 12, nobody wants that, it's about-"

"It'll do just fine." Eva switched their files before her colleague could change her mind. "You're a life saver."

* * *

Lithuania turned to Egypt standing next to him.

"Mind if I ask you a favor?"

* * *

 _I'm doing it again,_ the Slovak realized while waiting for her partner in the designed office. She released the jaw cutting deep into her lip and popped a gum in her mouth instead.

Hearing the door open, she looked up and almost choked on the gum. _Shit._

"What a pleasant surprise," Toris beamed. "Haven't seen _you_ in a while."

 _Shitshitshit. He must have switched. Still, there are so many other countries. What are the odds?!_

Her face turned pink.

"Excuse me," she blurted out, trailing off.

He stopped her, taking a firm hold of the small, ice-cold hand.

"Eva, what's happening? You have been avoiding me for some time now, ignoring my calls and emails. Don't you think I deserve an explanation?" he asked calmly.

She gave her wrist a yank, but Toris did not release the grip. Instead, he touched her hot cheek, gazing at that troubled face. The green of her eyes was much more prominent in contrast with the red skin all around.

"Let go," she begged.

 _Never_ , he thought as he did the exact opposite, pressing her delicately against his frame.

 _The salty air. Meadow rues. I'm warm. So warm._

It took all she had to break away.

 _Why won't he just leave me alone?_ she wondered while running off, trying to hold back tears at any cost. _I don't need his giving me hope when there's none and breaking my heart again._

"Eva, please! Why do you torture yourself like this?" he called, chasing after her into the corridor. "You know very well that you don't-"

"Of course I still love him," she spat, stopping to face him, fire in her eyes.

 _I meant to say 'that you don't stand against this world alone'..._ Toris wanted to clarify, but did not get a chance.

They both suddenly looked to the side, realizing they were being watched. A country of far-eastern appearance was observing them, a stoic look on his face.

"I have no idea who you are, _aru_ ," he started, "But we all know that was a lie."

The Europeans just stood there, dumbfounded.

"You can say as many lies as you want. In the end, it all comes down to the one person you want to hold as you wake up in the middle of the night."

Slovakia emerged from the shock. She was not in the mood for pearls of ancient knowledge.

"Can't you two just mind your own business?!" she yelled, storming off.

* * *

A few minutes later, she knocked frenetically on one of the offices, entering right away. Two blond men turned to look at her.

"Hello Iceland, can I please have Canada for a minute?"

"No problem." The Nordic smiled. The other fellow raised an eyebrow, then followed her into the corridor.

"I'm sorry to bother you at work," she mumbled.

"That's alright. What is it?" he asked, his face expressionless.

"I… I just wanted to tell you that I know what you were about to ask me that night in London."

"You do?" Her friend stood back a little.

"And my answer is yes," she concluded.

The Canadian smiled. At least, his mouth did.

 _I can't blame him. We've both forgotten how to smile from the heart._

He gave her a light peck on the front, then plunged his lilac eyes into hers.

"Let's do this properly, okay?"

She nodded. She wasn't sure what he meant, but knew that 'no' wasn't an option.

* * *

 _-END OF CHAPTER 3-_


	4. Chapter 4

A week later, Eva found herself in the Westminster city again. As she was approaching the heavy door, she heard a beep coming from her handbag. Even though her phone wouldn't stop ringing for the whole afternoon, she kept ignoring it.

This time, the brunette took it out. Twenty-seven missed calls, one message.

 _'Please don't do that. TL'_

 _'It's the right thing to do',_ she texted back. Yet another lie.

Her last one.

A reply came within seconds. ' _You don't need to be afraid.'_

 _'I'm not afraid',_ Eva texted. As she was about to hit the 'Send' button, she hesitated.

 _Am I really not?!_

She closed her eyes. She finally noticed the knot in her belly that had been there for the last few weeks. And the scarred lower lip. And her hair falling out. On top of that, she couldn't remember when was the last time she had some real sleep.

 _I am._

 _I'm scared to death,_ she realized. _I'm so absorbed in the fear that I don't know who I am anymore._

 _But what am I so afraid of?_ she wondered.

 _What am I afraid of? What am I afraid of? What am I afraid of?_

She kept on repeating the question in her head, yet couldn't for the love of God figure out the answer.

The phone went back to energy saving mode, mirroring her face.

 _Myself._

 _I'm afraid of being lonely._

 _I'm afraid of being left with nothing but my own self._

She threw the phone back into her bag and entered the Ballroom.

* * *

"Matthew, I," she started hesitantly.

"What's with the outfit?" He couldn't help interrupting her, looking her up from head to toe. "Didn't you get the dress?"

"I did. Unfortunately, it didn't fit," she admitted, a bit ashamed.

"How come? I made sure it was size S," he muttered in astonishment.

"I wear M now."

Canada rubbed his eyes.

"The world's going through a crisis. How can you put on weight?"

Eva wished she could hide under a rock.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "There's less money, so I suppose that I eat cheap and my diet is less balanced." _Why do I have this messed up need to justify everything about myself?!_

"So, what about the shoes. Were they not to your liking?" he went on.

"Of course they were," the Slavic nation cried. "It's just that… It hurts to wear them."

He sighed, clearly annoyed. For the girl, that was the last drop.

"Just _what_ gives you the right to judge me like this?" she raged suddenly.

"Eva, do you know how much did that dress and shoes cost? And how many things I had to promise to book this room? Twice?"

 _Why am I telling her all those things?_ he wondered. _Shouldn't this have been about us, and us only?_

The Slav said nothing and turned her back to him. Sitting down at the table, she poured herself a glass of wine.

"I know you don't like my drinking," she said. "But I don't care anymore. I feel so drenched with lies. I need to wash them away."

Silence.

Instead of the expected criticism, he sat down next to her. The almost palpable tension suddenly disappeared.

"I'd like one too, please," he asked, earnest. She gave him a bittersweet smile. For a moment she saw that fifteen-year-old adorable young man again.

The two countries clank glasses.

Drinking up, a warm sensation took over them. They both remembered the times when chastity, integrity and honesty were what they valued the most. Maybe those are not completely over yet.

"Aren't we too young to be with someone we don't love?" he finally said what both of them had been thinking for some time.

Slowly, they emptied the bottle, celebrating their break up by drinking until they ended up under the table.

"Eva?"

"Yes?"

"Everyone kept telling me I should be more assertive," he started. "So I figured I'd try and in a way, I came to like it. It was a good way to hide how scared and confused I was deep down. About you, about everything. But now I realize I went too far. I wasn't assertive, I was arrogant. And I ended up hurting you. I'm so sorry," the blond confessed.

"I see," she whispered, thinking. "We all change. Although this situation is a bit my fault, too. I should have let you know you were crossing a line, I shouldn't have remained a victim." Things suddenly seemed so clear to her, the words she had been desperately looking for for such a long time coming on their own.

 _And there are so many things we should have been saying openly from the very beginning. Yet we didn't, trying not to hurt or offend each other,_ she realized. _Until it all turned into a wall that separated us once again, hurting us even more._

"Eva, we promised each other honesty and respect. Still, somehow we found those two contradictory. That destroyed us," he remarked as if reading her mind. She nodded, her eyelids growing heavy.

They fell asleep under the table, hand in hand, their story ending at the exact same spot where it started.

* * *

"Toris," Eva mumbled from her sleep, reaching out for the man lying next to her. His touch felt surprisingly unnatural and cold, his smell unfamiliar. She woke up.

"Who are you?" she slurred as she moved away.

"I'm Canada, your ex," the fellow whispered, half asleep, his features as peaceful as his voice.

 _That actually sounds right._ She relaxed and dozed off again.

* * *

Sand dunes under her bare feet. Crosses as far as her eyes could see. The taste of poppy seeds on her lips.

His body against hers, intoxicating as a cup of mead, yet just as soothing and sweet.

 _I'll count those scars and build a temple for every last one of them._

 _Maybe one day, you will love me, too._

* * *

-THE END-


End file.
